Mirror, Mirror, What's Behind You?
by Reeves3
Summary: When the Schnee Dust Company is attacked Weiss wastes no time in wanting to leave Beacon but when the rest of Team RWBY comes along with her she's a lot more reluctant to go back home. What secrets is the heiress hiding? Takes place after Episode 10. Friendship. Humour. Action. Adventure. Hints of White Rose and Bumblebee but mainly friendship between the four of them. Enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with these characters or universe. It belongs to Monty Oum/Rooster Teeth.**

**Author's Note: I promised myself not to write any new stories until I had finished existing ones but I've had RWBY on my mind and I couldn't get this story idea out of my head so I've started it.**

**Basically ever since seeing Episode 2 and Weiss's character, besides from the trailer, I wanted to write something about her background to explain why she is as she is and how she got that scar on across her eye. I know it's been speculated that she got it fighting the giant knight but I think it happened before that. Anyway, this story will explain things. **

**About pairings while I don't mind R/W or B/Y I'm leaving them as just friends in this fanfic but if some of you readers want to see it as the beginnings of something else entirely, be my guest.**

**I'm going to shut up now.**

**I hope you enjoy reading the first chapter. :)**

**Reeves3.**

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**Chapter One**

**The Attack**

The first week at Beacon went by in a whirlwind of activity with arriving on the Saturday, the adventure in The Emerald Forest and being sorted into teams the next day before lessons started on Monday which Team RWBY and JNPR were almost late for.

Throughout the course of the week they were given stacks upon stacks of homework to complete and their bodies ached from pushing themselves in their Physical Attack class and practical exercises involving a variety of creatures of Grimm. So when Friday afternoon arrived and Professor Port was coming to the end of his lecture every student was on the edge of his or hers seat, not in rapt attention to Peter Port's story of his younger years but, eager to get out of the classroom as soon as the bell tower clock chimed.

"-And thus I named him Edgar..." Peter continued talking over the several dongs ringing out in the courtyard. It took to the end of his story ten minutes later to realise that all his students had left.

It was a beautiful day outside with the last of the glorious summer weather getting out as much warmth as it could before autumn arrived. Students were starting to funnel out the doors keen to leave their lessons behind them. Walking side by side down one of the many corridors were four young women that made up the team RWBY.

"I'm glad to be out of that stuffy classroom," Yang expressed, adjusting the strap on her shoulder bag.

"He does seem to go on a bit," Blake mentioned.

"'A bit' is an understatement," said Weiss.

Ruby smiled. "So what's the plan Team RWBY? Ditch our bags off at the dorm and head to the cafeteria?"

"Last one there has cleaning duty next week," Yang shouted, sprinting off. Ruby and Blake were soon running after the fiery blonde leaving Weiss in a cloud of dust and dirt. The heiress rolled her eyes and started to walk at a casual pace. She may have promised Ruby to be a better teammate but she still wasn't prepared to take part in their childish activities.

Arriving at the students dormitories Weiss reached the door with the bronze plaque on the front engraved 'RWBY' and entered. Blake had already got changed into her dark attire and was lying on her bed reading one of her books while Ruby was banging on the door to the adjoining bathroom, which Weiss presumed, Yang was inside.

"Hurry up! You're like this at home. How long does it take to get dressed?" Ruby complained.

"Just give me five minutes," came Yang's voice from behind the door.

Weiss dropped her bag at the foot of her bed and started to take off her shoes and socks. Conveniently Yang finished out the bathroom when Ruby threatened to slice down the door with Crescent Rose and after Ruby had finished getting dressed, Weiss took her clothes in there and started to put on her outfit.

As Ruby, Blake and Yang sat around on the beds chatting to one another waiting for Weiss to finish in the bathroom before they all went for a quick snack before dinner in the main hall there was a knock on the door.

"Come in," Ruby called. The door opened to reveal Jaune looking rather apprehensive as his cobalt eyes scanned the room.

"Is Weiss in?" he asked, his voice fearful. Yang, Blake and Ruby glanced at one another.

"She's in the bathroom," answered Blake.

"What's wrong?" Ruby asked. Jaune opened his mouth to answer when the door to the bathroom opened to reveal Weiss placing her rapier, Myrtenaster, in its sheath around her belt. She paused upon noticing everyone in the room staring at her.

"What?" She asked, arching an eyebrow.

Jaune stepped forward and took her hand. "Come on," he said, urgently.

Before she could protest Weiss was pulled out the room by Jaune with the rest of team RWBY hot on their tails. Jaune led them to the student lounge where a large crowd was gathered by the holographic television. People moved out the way and letting them pass to the front as Jaune led them through the masses.

"Let go of me," Weiss snapped, wrenching her hand free from Jaune's grasp.

"B-But W-Weiss-," Jaune stuttered, pointing to the screen.

Instead of looking at what had everyone captivated Weiss glared at Jaune. He backed up into Pyrrha under the intensity of her icy glare. "What were you even thinking? You don't just grab someone-"

"-Schnee Dust Company was attacked today-,"

Weiss's voice trailed off as the monotone voice of the news reporter Lisa Lavender filled over the silence in the room.

"The attack took place at the Schnee Quarry under an hour ago. Reports from witnesses say they saw a man fitting the image of Roman Torchwick, who was present in a foiled Dust robbery last week, among a group of henchmen who were wearing dark clothing and red glasses carrying weapons. Unfortunately Torchwick escaped leaving several casualties including the owner of the company Sören Schnee. He has been taken to hospital but it is unknown what his current situation is-"

The room went cold. Sunlight shone in through the windows but the temperature dropped to zero degrees and goose bumps appeared on everyone's skin as Weiss Schnee stared at the news report.

"Dad..." she breathed, her voice a quiet whisper so soft past her pale lips that no one's ears heard but her own. Her hand brushed past the handle on Myrtenaster and her whole demeanour changed. In a blink she pushed back the dread and let determination take over as she turned on her heel and ran out the building.

"Weiss, wait!" Ruby shouted, reaching out her arm. Sharing a quick glance with Yang and Blake the three of them took after Weiss.

Having ignored the redhead's call Weiss continued rushing to Professor Ozpin's office. Arriving at the main building and taking the spiral stairs two at a time in a dignified and poised manner Weiss wasted no time in knocking and threw open the door.

"I have to go home NOW!"

Headmaster Ozpin and Glynda Goodwitch stood facing a screen watching the news when Weiss burst into the room. They turned together and while Glynda crossed her arms over her chest with a stern expression on her face, Ozpin merely just took a sip of his coffee.

"Excuse me Miss Schnee but barging into Professor Ozpin's office without warning, even under the circumstances of your current family crisis, doesn't permit for this kind of behaviour."

Weiss bristled but before she could speak back Ozpin put up a hand to stop further arguments.

"It's quite alright, just this once I'll allow the sudden intrusion but next time Miss Schnee please try not to take the door off its hinges if you wish to see me. Glynda and I were discussing your trip back home the moment we saw the news. An airship will take you to your home. That will be the quickest route."

Weiss sighed with relief. "Thank you, sir."

"Under one condition, mind you. The rest of Team RWBY shall join you."

If it was possible Weiss paled slightly. She shook her head.

"There's really no need-," she started to protest.

Ozpin gave her a knowing look. "At a time like this a team should stick together. A team isn't just strangers becoming a formation of friends. You become family."

Right on cue Weiss's 'family' entered the room with Ruby leading. Yang however overstepped catching Ruby's cloak that sent her falling backwards and Blake, not realising the two sisters had stopped, crashed into the back of Yang sending them all to the floor.

"We'll go with you Weiss," Ruby answered somewhere in the pile of limbs. "You shouldn't be alone through this."

Ozpin smiled. "Then it's settled."

The anxiety in Weiss's stomach doubled. Worried about her father and the business, she was, but now she had to deal with the rest of her team on this impromptu trip and that was terrifying.

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**Author's Note: Weiss is keeping secrets. Things are going to go downhill pretty fast for her.**

**Stay tuned for Chapter 2 when I write it...I should get on that!**

**Also couldn't resist a little mention of Edgar. #FreeEdgar2013.**

**I hope you enjoyed the first chapter and don't forget to leave a review.**

**Bye for now,**

**Reeves3.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with RWBY.**

**Author's Note: Waaaayheyyyy! :D Thank you to EternalShadowSage, Tear of Light, CrimsonDarkness 0013, HetaliaFan, NightRaven67 and ZaleTheSealedGuardian for the reviews on the previous chapter and to those who favorited and alerted the story as well.  
**

**I'm glad it's peeked your interest. :)**

**Enjoy this chapter,**

**Reeves3.**

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**Chapter Two**

**Everything But You**

Inside the airship it was deathly quiet except for the sound of the mechanical engines whirring underneath them as the wings of the plane tilted to turn left. The piloting system automatically guiding them where they needed to go. In the spacious cabin area three members of Team RWBY were sat on a settee underneath one of the windows while the remaining member paced up and down in front of them.

They had been travelling East, away from the sea and further inland, for over an hour and three quarters with no more news of the attack or Weiss's father. When they had left the sun had been slowly starting to descend to the horizon but now it had disappeared completely and replaced the light blue with a navy dark sky. The clock in the cabin chimed six times.

Weiss had her hands clasped behind her back as she marched, she hadn't stopped for the last half an hour, her eyes on the ground as she tried to keep her breathing under control. Blake, Ruby and Yang watched her unsure what to say. They hadn't seen Weiss so agitated before.

Finally after what seemed like the millionth time Weiss had walked past Yang held up her hands.

"Can you stop moving for five minutes. Your making me feel sick pacing around all the time," she complained.

Stopping in her tracks Weiss glared at Yang.

"Excuse me?" She snapped.

Not fazed by her attitude Yang replied. "I'm just saying you should calm down."

"I can't 'calm down'," Weiss assured, starting to pace again.

Ruby decided to speak up, in her timid way. "I'm sure your father is fine."

Weiss let out a heavy sigh. "I'm not worried about that. Well, I am. It's just not all about that," she admitted.

Her three teammates shared a frown.

"Then what?" Blake asked, inquisitively.

Pausing again Weiss shifted on her feet. Her back turned away from the rest of the team to avoid looking at them. "I haven't seen my father in over two years."

"What?" Yang exclaimed, causing Weiss to jump at the volume of her voice and turn to face Yang as she continued to speak. "What about Christmas or your birthday? Hell, the weekend?"

Weiss gave a slight shrug of her shoulders, in a manner to show she didn't care. "He's away a lot with business meetings around Vytal, keeping an eye on the quarry and he does anything he can to avoid-," she stopped, realising she was about to say too much.

Thankfully she was spared any questions when the airship came to a halt and started to descend. Looking out the window the four of them saw the hospital meters away as the airship came to land on the helipad. The doors opened and a blast of brisk cold wind and snow flurried in taking away the warmth in seconds. The four of them walked out from the airship and stepped straight into thick snow that came up to their shins. Blake and Ruby, not used to such cold and unable to stay constantly heated like Yang, started to rub their arms to keep warm.

Following Weiss, who kept up a steady walk, they approached the hospital entrance where a large amount of paparazzi had gathered. Like months to a flame as soon as one saw Weiss, future heiress to the Schnee Dust Company, they all gathered around team RWBY snapping pictures and shouting questions to Weiss.

"Miss Schnee, is it true your father has relinquished control of the company and handed it down to you?"

"Miss Schnee, what do you think of the attack?"

"Miss Schnee, what did you have for breakfast?"

Ignoring them all like a pro Weiss carried on with her stride, her head held high, leaving Yang, Blake and Ruby struggling to get through the cameras and interviewers. Eventually the four of them crossed the doors and into the main entrance where the paparazzi weren't allowed in but that didn't stop them trying to take pictures of Weiss through the windows.

Around the corner they approached the reception area where a female member of staff was sitting behind the desk keeping her gaze on her computer screen.

"Can I help you?" She questioned, not bothering to look up at them. Weiss took a step closer to try to get in the woman's line of sight.

"Yes I'm here to see my father. He's been admitted here after the attack at the Schnee Quarry."

"Name of patient?" The receptionist asked, typing a few keys on the keyboard.

"Sören Schnee."

Immediately the woman's hazel eyes darted up at Weiss and her jaw dropped and eyes nearly popped out in amazement. "Oh my goodness! Miss Schnee, I'm so sorry about that. Your father is in a private ward, down the corridor from here and to the left, in room twenty eight. Would you like me to show you the way?"

Ruby gave a quizzing look at Yang and Blake, wondering if they understood why the older woman had gone from bored out of her mind to enthusiastic at the sight of Weiss, but judging by their confused looks they had no idea either.

Weiss took a step back as though suddenly afraid by the eagerness in the woman's eyes and addressed the receptionist. "I'll be fine, thank you."

She turned to her teammates and ordered them to wait there before she carried on down the corridor alone with nothing to listen to but the _click-clack _of her heels echoing off the walls. It wasn't difficult to find her father's location. The closer she got the more security there was. Fortunately her father's guards knew who she was right off the bat and let her through without any questions but made sure to dip their heads in respect to her and quietly murmur her name.

A thick knot of tension had built in her stomach as she walked so when Weiss finally reached the door leading into her father's room she didn't know whether to enter or to flee.

Taking a deep breath, gathering up her courage, Weiss reached for the handle and opened the door. Stepping inside attentively Weiss's ice blue eyes scanned the room and spotted her father in the middle of it resting on a bed propped up on pillows. He hadn't heard the door open, his eyes were closed and his chest rose and fell steadily, so assuming he was asleep Weiss slowly approached his bedside.

Despite not seeing him for two years he hadn't changed much. He was slim and reached six-foot in height. Short black hair covered the top of his head, usually neat and groomed with a slight side parting was now in messy and sticking up because of the white bandage wrapped around his skull. He had a handsome face now marred slightly with a few cuts and bruises, with a thin beard that outlined his strong jaw. Her father's sword, a Zweihänder, double the size of hers lay on the bed next to him with his hand gripping the hilt.

Sören must have sensed her presence because as soon as Weiss got too close his eyes snapped open revealing steely grey eyes. He glanced to his side and did a double take.

"Weiss?" He questioned, unbelievingly. "What are you doing here?"

"I heard you were involved in the attack so I came to see you. How are you?"

Moving his gaze away from his daughter Sören kept his eyes focused on his sword. "A bump on the head, a gash on my stomach that needed ten stitches and I'm waiting to hear back from the x-ray on my arm."

His voice was humdrum as though he was listing off items on a grocery list. It changed to a deeper and personal note and slightly tinted with irritation when he spoke next.

"You shouldn't be here Weiss. I've told you."

"I know but I worried about you."

"You shouldn't have."

"Well excuse me for caring!" Weiss snipped, crossing her arms over her chest.

"If you really did care about me you wouldn't be anywhere near me!" Sören's snapped, his voice rising, his eyes still glued to his sword.

Weiss stomped her feet on the ground. "I knew you would be like this! Here I thought you'd be appreciative of me for once but I was wrong and now I don't know why I even bothered coming to see you! Every time I see you I just end up getting hurt but I can't help but love my father even if he doesn't love me."

"I have given you everything you've ever wanted!" Sören shouted, in defence.

"But not you!"

There wasn't a reply. Weiss waited for one but Sören kept his head down and when it became clear that their conversation wasn't going to continue and there wasn't going to be an apology, a beg for forgiveness and no happy ending, Weiss stormed out the room and slammed the door shut behind her.

Outside the room her body shook as she leaned back against the door and her emotions, usually kept behind cages of ice, broke free and she angrily wiped a single stray tear from her cheek.

_'There are no happy endings,'_ she thought, bitterly.

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**To quote Yang: "Well, that was a thing."**

**I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and don't forget to leave a review.**

**Stay tuned for more,**

**Reeves3.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with RWBY/Rooster Teeth/Monty Oum.**

**Author's Note: Omg, I didn't think this chapter would end. I decided whether or not to split it again but I really wanted Chapter 3 to have this ending. Thank you to CrimsonDarkness 0013, Pianist707, TweekinTinkaToy, ZaleTheSealedGuardian and The Supernova for reviewing on the last chapter. Also big thanks for the favourites and alerts as well. **

**Enjoy this chapter,**

**Reeves3.**

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**Chapter 3**

**Home Sweet Home**

After being told to stay where they were Ruby, Blake and Yang sat themselves down on chairs in the waiting room and watched Weiss retreat down the corridor out of their sight.

Blake reached to her side and picked up one of the many different pamphlets lying on the table titled _'Faunus - Removing Your Animal Appendage' _before shuddering and reached for the daily newspaper to read. Ruby rested her elbows on her knees watching the receptionist lazily who was now speaking to someone on the phone in quiet tones but Ruby was too busy lost in her thoughts to eavesdrop. Meanwhile Yang sat in-between the two of them and grabbed her stomach as it let out a partially loud growl.

Looking around Yang saw a nurse coming out of a room with trays full of food causing her to lick her lips.

"Do you think I could get away with asking for a plate?" She asked.

"I don't think they feed visitors," Blake mentioned, without looking up from the paper. Yang tilted her head slightly to look at her with a small grin on her lips.

"What if I said it was an emergency?"

Blake rolled her eyes.

A small silence settled between the three of them until Ruby shifted her position to lean back on her chair and let out a sigh.

"I wonder how Weiss is doing," she said. Ever since landing outside the hospital Ruby hadn't been able to get the information Weiss had told them about her father out of her head. There wasn't something right with this whole situation and as uncomfortable as she was about it Ruby had a feeling Weiss wasn't enjoying it any more.

Taking a break from thinking about food Yang turned her attention to her little sister. "I'm sure she's fine and her and daddy are having a big happy reunion."

Blake put down the newspaper and peered at the two sisters. Like Ruby she had given some thought about what Weiss had said and it confused her yet had her intrigued at the same time. "It's odd though, don't you think? That she hasn't seen her father in over two years?"

Yang shrugged. "I guess it's a little strange but we don't know anything about it and it's none of our business so I think it's best if we stay out of it."

Ruby threw her hands in the air, exasperated. "But we're a team, we shouldn't keep secrets from one another, we should trust each other."

"You're thinking about this too much, Ruby. We've only known Weiss for one whole week tomorrow. Do you really think just because we're now in the same team means she's going to share every little secret with us?" Yang asked, raising an eyebrow.

Squirming in her seat Ruby stared down at the ground. "Well no but I just wish we could do more to help," she murmured, sadly.

Reaching an arm around Ruby's shoulders Yang brought her in close for a little comforting side hug. Ruby returned it by leaning in to rest her head on the crook of Yang's arm. "You're adorable for caring so much but maybe us just being here is all the help we can do for now."

Ruby could only nod her head in a reluctant agreement. The pair would have stayed like that for longer if Ruby hadn't spotted Weiss coming back up the corridor in a fast stride.

"That was quick," the fifteen year old commented, detangling herself from Yang's arms to stand up. Blake and Yang stood up as well but before Weiss could come within reach of the three of them she was blocked by the receptionist leaving the three to wonder what was being said as they couldn't hear from their position.

"Miss Schnee, if you could sign this piece of paper before you leave. It's the visitor records."

Having the piece of paper thrust in front of her face Weiss hesitantly took it off the receptionist to give it a quick read though. She frowned with her head still looking down at the paper her eyes glanced up at the woman behind the desk.

"This is a blank piece of paper," Weiss stated. The receptionist smiled nervously.

"That's fine, that's all a visitor record is. You'll need to put my name, Samantha, and then your signature below it."

Weiss gave her a blank stare and reluctantly picked up the pen Samantha was holding out for her. Quickly scribbling her and the receptionists name in her neat slightly slanted cursive writing Weiss slid the piece of paper back across the desk to the woman.

"Next time just ask for an autograph," Weiss recommended, apathetic, putting down the pen and turning away.

Bracing herself so she didn't give away on the outside that her heart felt like it had shattered into a million shards of glass, Weiss approached Ruby, Blake and Yang as they waited for her.

"How is he?" Ruby asked, straight away.

"He's the same as usual besides some injuries nevertheless he'll be fine."

"Well that's good news," Yang said, positively.

"Did he say anything about what happened at the quarry?" Blake inquired.

"It didn't come up in conversation. He was feeling tired so I didn't ask," Weiss explained. She looked up at the clock on the wall. "We should probably head back to Beacon."

"What?" Yang exclaimed, loudly, causing them all to jump. "But I'm starving! There's no way I'm flying back to Beacon for two hours on an empty stomach! Don't you live around here Weiss?"

"Yes but I don't see-"

"Great, then we'll stop there and get something to eat before flying back. Come on, I'm not the only one whose hungry, am I?" Yang looked expectantly around the group.

"I am." Ruby admitted as Blake answered. "Me too."

Weiss thought about what was in her home and she had to physically restrain herself from shaking as the nerves coursed through her body.

"I don't think it's a good idea. We'll be late back to school," she protests, as a weak excuse.

"We won't stay long. Please Weiss, we're hungry," Ruby begged, giving her the best puppy dog look she could muster.

Going home was the last thing she wanted to do. She was afraid of what lurked there but she also had a dignity to uphold and couldn't risk the rest of Team RWBY finding out how worried she was. Weiss had heard about the expression being stuck between a rock and a hard place and now she was right bang in the centre.

Gritting her teeth she ground out the word. "Fine!"

Pushing past them Weiss went to the doors where she was blinded by flashing lights and bombarded with more questions again from the awaiting paparazzi. Reaching down to Myrtenaster Weiss locked the weapon on to the light blue dust chamber and swiped it through the air freezing their hands to their cameras and microphones in giant blocks of ice.

Trampling through the thick snow Team RWBY made their way back to the airship and the doorway sealed shut with a _'hiss' _once they were all inside. They set the coordinates for Weiss's home and the engines came to life. In the air strong winds rocked the airship making the girls firmly grip their seats as they watched out the windows the blizzard fall thick and fast, each snowflake furiously swirling out of control. Doing its best to give its passengers a smooth journey the airship fought against the storm and arrived at its destination in one piece under twenty minutes.

Ruby looked out the window and squinted. "Did you put in the right coordinates Weiss? We're at some sort of manor."

"This is my home," Weiss confirmed, opening the doors. "And it's not a manor. It's a castle."

"Well excuse us for getting that wrong, that would have been really embarrassing," muttered Yang.

Weiss glared at her. "Do you want to eat tonight?"

Yang kept quiet.

Stepping out into the snowstorm the magnificent structure before them all came into a clearer focus. Alone amidst the acres of land surrounding it the castle stood tall and strong. The stone walls were slick with ice and coated with frost that crawled all the way up to the tallest tower. Lethal icicles hung from the edges of every slanted rooftop. It was beautiful but there was a gloominess about it that made it seem, despite its magnificence, haunted. It was as though a darkness, a curse, was shrouding the castle's full beauty. Ruby shivered.

They made their way out the courtyard, leaving the airship and a trail of shoeprints in the show, and headed for the large oaken double doors. One by one the girls shuffled inside and the door closed shut with a mighty bang that echoed around the grand foyer.

Weiss wanted to keep her eyes on the marble flooring, she didn't want to look at the object that caught everyone's attention as soon as anyone walked through the front doors, but try as she did she couldn't fight it and her eyes looked up into the mirror.

From high up the wall in front of a staircase that split off into two directions at the top was a painting of a smiling woman as she stared down upon them with caring clear blue eyes. Her white hair cascaded loose and free down her back and across her shoulders blending in with her pale complexion. She sat in a chair, poised and graceful, like Weiss always carried herself, but the lady in the portrait looked a lot more friendly and approachable than the heiress portrayed. Myrtenaster hung at her hip.

"Wow," Ruby breathed, walking up to stand next to Weiss, her silver eyes also glued to the painting. "Is that your mother?"

"Yes."

"She looks just like you. I can't wait to meet her."

Weiss looked away from the painting finally. "She died when I was born."

Mortified Ruby turned to her sister, as Weiss walked away, and buried her blushing face into her big sisters shoulder and whispered."Yang, why do I always say the wrong thing?"

Yang patted her head. "It's not your fault, you're just socially jinxed."

Footsteps from one of the several open doorways could be heard approaching rapidly that caused the girls to freeze.

Marching round the corner but coming to a complete halt at the sight of Team RWBY was a tall, elegant woman. She wore a dress made of long crystals which flowed down behind her. White blond hair curled down past her shoulders, as a necklace that matched the dress wrapped around her neck, and her eyes, the iris pure white except for the outer rim and pupil that were jet black. Clasped in her hand she held a sceptre topped with a sharp-edged diamond cut to look like a dagger's blade.

"Weiss!" She gasped, stunned. "What are you doing here?"

Her voice was like velvet, smooth and alluring and all round pleasant. Just hearing it pleased their ears like a good song on repeat. The crystals on the dress clinked against the floor as she moved closer to them.

"I went to visit father at the hospital," Weiss explained.

"Oh yes, it's horrible, isn't it? I went straight away as soon as I heard the news. He was admitted just as I got there. Who are these people?"

Her black and white eyes scanned over Ruby, Blake and Yang.

"I'm Ruby Rose, I'm the leader of Team RWBY at Beacon and this is Yang Xiao Long and Blake Belladonna. It's nice to meet you..." Ruby trailed off waiting for the woman to answer.

She smiled. "I'm Lorelei, Weiss's stepmother, it's charming to meet you all. You three came all this way to support Weiss? That's very admirable."

Ruby blushed, Yang looked pleased and Blake gave a small nod of her head as Weiss rolled her eyes.

"We won't stay long," Weiss spoke up. "Some of us are hungry so we thought we would make a quick pit stop before leaving for Beacon."

Lorelei's eyebrows rose. "You can't possibly leave in this weather! It's snowing far too heavily. You can stay here for the night, I'm sure Weiss won't mind sharing her room with her new friends, and I'll give Beacon a call to let them know where you are and will be returning in the morning."

"That's so kind of you," Ruby accepted, before Weiss even thought about protesting.

"Excellent."

Lorelei banged her sceptre once on the hard ground and almost immediately two servants made their way to her. "Doc, please show Ruby, Yang and Blake to Weiss's room and set up a fire in the fireplace, we don't want our guests cold, and Bashful please go tell our chefs we require four meals to be sent to Weiss's chambers as soon as possible."

The men nodded and as one left through a door, the other, Doc waited for the three girls to follow him. As Weiss went to follow Lorelei grabbed her arm.

"A moment if you will," she requested. Her head turned to look at Doc and gave him a sharp look, he quickly got the message and ushered Ruby, Blake and Yang upstairs and through the door to the right leaving stepmother and stepdaughter alone.

Lorelei turned back to look at Weiss and found the teenager already staring back at her.

"It's so good to see you back home again Weiss."

"I've only been gone a week."

"But still," Lorelei drawled, running her slender fingers through Weiss's hair. "I've missed you."

Weiss lips thinned and she stepped away, pulling her hair loose from the prying bony hands. "I'm sure you have."

She moved to follow the path the rest of her team had taken and headed up the stairs feeling Lorelei's eyes burning holes into the back of her head. The walk to her room took her along a hallway where suits of armour stood against the walls standing guard at the entrance to each room. The wind picked up outside and howled against the windows causing them to rattle and whistled through the gaps in the stone blocks causing a draft. At the furthest door down Weiss entered her bedroom to see Doc feeding the fire with pieces of wood while Blake, Yang and Ruby were standing nearby.

Their food didn't take too long to arrive and Yang and Ruby finished their plates in record time leaving Blake to finish at a moderately normal pace and Weiss picking at her food, barely touching it.

As the evening progressed the girls got ready for bed and easily snuggled under the quilt on Weiss's bed, that was bigger than their four beds at Beacon merged together, leaving the fire at the end of the room still burning. The light snores on one side of the bed indicated that Yang was the first one to go to sleep. Blake was next, curled up into a ball between Yang and Ruby, hugging the blankets close to her.

Weiss wanted to sleep but it wouldn't come, she had too much on her mind, and it wasn't helping that Ruby was tossing and turning next to her every five minutes.

Finally turning over again Ruby opened her eyes and glanced at Weiss, noticing she was lying still on her back, staring up at the ceiling.

"Weiss?" Ruby whispered.

"What?" Came the annoyed reply.

There was a moment of silence.

"I'm sorry you lost your mom."

Weiss rolled over, turning her back to Ruby, to avoid showing what the young girls words meant to her as the warm tears silently trailed down her cheeks and slipped off the tip of her nose on to the pillow.

"Goodnight Ruby."

She heard the sheets ruffle as Ruby turned back over and didn't say anything else. Weiss waited for the fire to dim and for just the glowing embers left when she quietly got out of bed. She changed back into her clothes, mostly out of habit, because she had grown up to learn it was rude to go anywhere else in the castle except your bedroom in pyjamas.

In the dark she used her memory to tell her feet where to go. The servants and staff were all asleep by now so Weiss kept silent as she walked back downstairs into the foyer. Entering through one of the doors she emerged into the vast living area and her eyes immediately found what she wanted. Resting in the corner of the room, illuminated by the snow reflecting the light off the moon, was a grand piano.

Weiss took her seat and lifted the lid. Her delicate hands poised gently over the ivory and onyx keys before gently pressing down as she began her song.

_"Mirror, tell me something..."_

Her voice, pitch perfect, filled the room as she sang and played the song she had created at thirteen to convey the feelings she had felt throughout her short life.

After finishing off her high note the music picked up from its solitary sadness into a more dramatic score.

_"Mirror, mirror, what's behind you?"_

There was a flash of red in the air, yellow sparks filled Weiss's vision before the black shadows consumed her.

* * *

**CLIFFHANGER!**

**Like the endings of most RWBY episodes. :P**

**Don't forget to leave a review.**

**Reeves3.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with RWBY/Rooster Teeth or Monty Oum. **

**Author's Note: Thank you to DepressedCritic, CrimsonDarkness0013, TweekinTinkaToy, Autistic-Grizzly, ZaleTheSealedGuardian and Tear of Light for the reviews in the last chapter. Also thank you to those who favorited and alerted.**

**Your support keeps this story going. :)**

**I hope you all enjoy this chapter.**

**Reeves3.**

* * *

**Chapter 4**

**The Search Begins**

The storm had passed by the time morning broke leaving as far as they eye could see covered in a blanket of snow as pink hue's rose with the sun between the gap of two distant peaks. Camouflaged in the snow the only signs of Schnee Castle being there was the lone staff member shovelling the snow off the pathways around the building as he had done every morning for the past seventeen years. Heaving another shovel load out the way the servant made to go scoop up more when he spotted something different.

Footprints. Two sets and human. He frowned thinking it was usual to see animal prints in the snow but not human feet so close to the castle. Figuring it must have been two members of staff getting up for an early walk, possibly the chef's assistants to make a run to the town for groceries as the prints were heading away from the castle, the servant continued to shovel the snow out the way removing the tracks as he did.

Inside Weiss's bedroom Ruby started to wake up as the dream she had dreamed started to slip from her conscious. She stretched her arms up and let out a yawn before opening her eyes. Blinded briefly by the light spilling in through the two windows Ruby blinked and sat up on her elbows trying to remember where she was.

Looking around the bedroom it didn't take long for Ruby to recall yesterday and her small talk with Weiss before falling asleep. Glancing to her left she noticed that Weiss wasn't there, her pillow and her part of the quilt seemingly untouched and as Ruby slid a hand over she noticed it was lack of body heat.

"Morning, lil sis," drawled a voice to her right.

Startled Ruby zipped her hand back and span her head round so fast she caused a twinge in her neck. Yang was lying on her side, propped up on her arm with the palm of her hand keeping up her head, as she ran her free hand carefully through her frenzied bed hair. Blake continued to sleep between them curled up in a ball like a cat.

"Hey, how long have you been up?" Ruby asked, rubbing her eyes.

"Just the past ten minutes. I didn't have the best sleep because I kept hearing this weird noise," Yang mentioned.

Ruby froze. "Like what?"

Yang shrugged. "I don't know. It sounded like moaning but relax Ruby, it was probably just the wind outside."

"You better be right Yang because this place is already high on my creepy meter and I don't need anything adding to it." Deciding to change the subject Ruby sat up fully and pointed to the empty space beside her. "Did you see Weiss get up?"

"Nope."

"She wasn't there either at three am when I woke up briefly," Blake answered, rolling on to her back and opening her eyes revealing two glowing golden orbs.

"Well good morning sleeping beauty," Yang teased, smirking, but then asked in all seriousness. "How come you were up at three?"

"You kick in your sleep," Blake said, casually. Yang pulled a face.

"Now you know why I didn't want to sleep next to her," Ruby mentioned, before her mind caught up with what Blake had said. "Wait? Weiss wasn't here at three in the morning?"

Blake nodded. "Why?"

The uneasy feeling in Ruby's stomach tightened. "I don't think she slept here at all."

Yang rolled her eyes. "Ruby, I've told you, relax. Weiss probably went to go sleep somewhere else last night, you know what she's like, perhaps she wanted to be alone."

Before Ruby could object the double doors at the end of the room opened with a creak and one of the old aged servants entered.

"Good morning. Lady Lorelei requests your presence for breakfast in half an hour's time," he announced, his voice dry.

"Umm, thanks?" Yang said, scratching her head.

The servant gave a nod of his head then squinted blearily at them as though he was struggling to see. "Where is Miss Schnee?"

"We don't know," Ruby answered.

"I shall go look for her then. Please be washed and dressed ready in time for breakfast."

Twenty five minutes later refreshed and fully clothed Ruby, Blake and Yang made their way downstairs into the grand foyer where a servant was waiting for them to lead them to the dining hall. Ruby couldn't help but let her jaw drop at the sheer size of the room when they entered. Like the rest of the castle marble covered the floor and the walls made of stone with eight arch windows going down the length of one wall. Pieces of no doubt very expensive art decorated the walls and sculptures stood in the corners of the room. Two chandeliers hung from the ceiling highlighting the long table with enough chairs surrounding it to serve a banquet for over fifty people.

Ruby shifted on her feet. Where she lived with Yang and her parents they had a small cosy home which was perfect for the four of them but this place was so massive and with hardly anyone to fill the space it made her uncomfortable.

"Hello girls, please come and have a seat," a voice sweet as honey called to them at the far end of the room.

Lorelei sat at the head of the table her eyes zeroing in on them like a spider who had caught a fly in its web. Approaching the table the three of them sat together on one side.

"Where is Weiss?" Lorelei asked, curious. "She's always on time for breakfast."

"She wasn't with us when we woke up this morning," Blake answered.

"But one of your staff said he'd go look for her," Ruby added.

Lorelei's eyebrows burrowed together for a moment before her face returned to its calm self. "I'm sure she'll turn up soon then. As a child she had a habit of wondering around the castle and losing track of the time. I'm sure Weiss won't mind if we start breakfast without her."

Banging the end of her sceptre on the floor once a door opened behind the three girls and waiters glided out as though walking on air and smoothly placed silver plated trays with different selections of food in front of them. Yang reached for an empty bowl and started to scoop warm porridge into it with a spoon.

"Bowl appétit," she said, grinning.

They had got five minutes into their first meal of the day when the door at the end of the room opened and the member of staff who had woken up the girls came rushing in with a fast paced stiff walk. He stopped at Lorelei's side and bowed down to whisper in hushed tones. Yang, Blake and Ruby kept their heads down staring at their half eaten meals trying to make it seem like they weren't eavesdropping.

"Lady Lorelei, I've looked and asked around but no one has seen Miss Schnee this morning," the old man, wheezed.

One moment Lorelei was sitting then the next she was standing up from her chair glaring right at the servant.

"She must be somewhere!" She shouted, making everyone in the room jump. "Tell all members of staff to keep looking until she is found!"

Cowering in fear the old man gave another bow before scurrying off. Lorelei then looked expectantly at the waiters who were standing patiently to the side.

"Did you not hear what I just said? All members of staff! Now go!"

When the door closed after the last waiter had finished hurrying out the room Lorelei took a deep breath before sitting back down in her seat. She turned to address the girls on her left and spoke calmly.

"I'm sorry to have raised my voice like that. Things have been rather stressful for me with the attack on the quarry, my husband in hospital and now it seems my stepdaughter is missing. As soon as you girls finish with your breakfast you should head back to Beacon. You don't want to be late and who knows how long it will take for Weiss to show up. I will keep you informed if there's any updates and when Weiss is found I'll send her back to school in a private airship."

There was a fuzziness in Ruby's head and judging by the way Yang stuck her little finger in ear as though to dislodge a piece of wax and as Blake shook her head like a cat trying to get rid of flees Ruby assumed they felt it too.

What Lorelei was saying felt like the right thing to do in her mind but Ruby knew in her heart she couldn't leave without Weiss. The cloudiness cleared from her head as though someone had opened a window in a room full of steam.

Ruby stared at Lorelei determinedly and declared. "With all due respect Weiss is a member of our team and we won't leave until she's back."

Staring at Ruby something in Lorelei's eyes changed, a shimmer of incredulity, she cocked her head to the side and blinked. "Very well, you girls can stay until Weiss is found."

"Hey," Yang said, suddenly. "If Weiss isn't in the castle maybe she went to the hospital to see her dad?"

Ruby beamed at her sister. "Great thinking, we'll head there right away."

The three of them looked at Lorelei and she gave them a tight lipped smile.

"I'll get one of the chauffeurs to give you a lift," she stated.

A luxury black Rolls Royce with the Schnee Dust symbol embossed on the bonnet transported Ruby, Blake and Yang to the hospital. The roads ploughed and gritted with salt had removed the snow but it didn't stop the wheels on the car to occasionally slip on some black ice. The three girls sat in a row on the spacious backseat talking about Weiss.

"What if she isn't at the hospital?" Ruby questioned, worried.

"If she's not there where else could she possibly be?" Yang asked.

Blake shifted. "Nothing about this seems right. First there's an attack at her family's quarry and now she's gone. It is like Weiss to want to go off alone but I think she would at least tell us or leave a note before she left. If she's not at her home or at the hospital it only leaves one explanation as to why she's missing."

"You think she's been kidnapped?" Ruby exclaimed, her hands turned white as she gripped hold of Crescent Rose that's folded up in her lap.

Yang held up her hands, someone needed to keep a level-head in the group. "Woah, wait a minute. Before we jump to rash assumptions can we at least see if she's at the hospital first?"

Ruby nodded and the three of them didn't say anything else for the rest of the journey. They were all thinking the same thing. _'What if someone has taken Weiss?'_

They arrived at the hospital and the chauffeur parked in the visitors car park. The three of them clambered out the back and the driver stayed in the front seat awaiting their return. The chaotic paparazzi from yesterday had long gone by now so the entrance was clear making it a lot easier this time to actually enter the building. However the chaos was now inside the waiting area.

About twelve Schnee guards stood at random spots around the room their bodies motionless but their eyes scanned the area and outside for any threats. A couple of them eyed Ruby, Yang and Blake as they walked in but made no move to stop them because they had frozen in their tracks at what they were looking at.

A man, with his left arm in a cast and a bandage wrapped around his head, stood at the reception desk with a furious look on his face while in his right hand he held a long grey sword.

"Do you know who I am?" He shouted at the lady behind the desk.

"Yes sir, you're-,"

"Good. Then why are you telling me I can't get back to work?"

"Because you have a wound to your stomach and the stitches need time to heal your skin back together. Any strenuous movements can cause the stitches to open which is why you need to get back into your room and rest!"

"I have a business to run and meetings to get to. I have a whole section of my quarry cornered off because of police searches. Do you have any idea how much Dust won't be mined if I don't get back there to sort it out?"

Realisation dawned on Ruby as to who the man was and she ran forward. "Are you Weiss's father?"

Immediately Schnee guards pulled out pistols from under their jackets and aimed them at Ruby as she skidded to a halt. Yang rushed up to her little sister activating Ember Celica as she glared at the armed guards. The receptionist had ducked behind the desk but Sören had turned his attention to the girl in the red cloak the moment he heard his daughter's name.

"Who are you? How do you know Weiss?" He questioned, narrowing his eyes.

Unfazed by the guns being pointed at her Ruby answered calmly. "We're her teammates from Beacon. We were here with her yesterday when she saw you. This is Yang Xiao Long, Blake Belladonna and I'm Ruby Rose."

Sören stared at the three girls in turn for a minute each before speaking to his security. "Lower your weapons."

The armed gunmen sheathed their guns back in their holsters but Yang kept her gauntlets activated. It wasn't until Blake came up to her and put a hand on Yang's shoulder did the blonde relax and let the weapons retract back into bracelets.

"It's nice to make your acquaintance teammates of Weiss but I don't have time to see you today," said Sören.

"Can you just tell us if Weiss has come to see you this morning?" Ruby asked, impatiently.

Sören frowned. "No, I haven't seen her since yesterday. Why?"

The three girls shared a look. The kidnapping theory didn't seem so farfetched now.

"Okay now it's starting to feel strange," Yang admitted in a whisper.

Ruby answered Weiss's father. "We couldn't find her this morning at the castle. We thought she had come here."

Sören didn't say anything but you could tell by the look on his face his mind was moving like clockwork.

"Sir, is there anyone who would want to harm your family?" Blake questioned.

Glancing at the dark haired girl Sören answered with a less angry tone to his voice. "We have rival companies and Dust thieves. We had a train high jacked in Forever Fall a few months ago but nothing was taken mind you. It was a random act of sabotage."

Blake rubbed the back of her neck.

"Why? Do you think someone has taken my daughter?"

"It's a possibility," said Ruby.

Yang stepped in. "But we don't know. She could be back at the castle, I mean, that place is huge."

Sören turned his back on them as though bored of this conversation. "I'm heading to my room. Keep me informed if Weiss shows up."

Stunned at his lack of concern Ruby, Blake and Yang stood still in silence as Sören retreated down the corridor with his guards following him.

Yang frowned, slightly disgusted. "Doesn't he care that his daughter is missing?"

"Maybe he's shocked?" Ruby suggested. Yang put her hand on Ruby's shoulder.

"Ruby, if you ever went missing you can be damn sure I'd search the whole of Vytal looking for you. Even if I had injuries I wouldn't retreat and hide in my room," she proclaimed.

Touched by her sisters words Ruby couldn't help but give a small smile despite the worry and bewilderment in the back of her mind for Weiss and why her father was behaving this way. She was just hoping that wherever Weiss was that she was safe and would be found soon and Ruby knew Yang and Blake were thinking the same lines of thoughts.

* * *

Darkness surrounded her vision as Weiss started to come to. There was a strong ache to the back of her head as she tried to remember through her confusion what had happened. _'I was playing the piano and then...'_

A passing sharp sting from the wound to her head recollected what happened. _'I was attacked!'_

Vague memories of strangers voices filled her mind.

_"- kill this girl again?"_

_"-the boss told us."_

_"-but she is a Schnee, she'll be worth a huge ransom."_

_"-let's get her back to the hideout-."_

Her eyes snapped open but she still couldn't see and it was then she realised there was a blindfold covering her eyes. She could tell she was sitting on a chair and she could tell by the strain on her wrists that her hands are tied behind her with rope, by the feel of it, along with her ankles as she attempted to move her legs.

She could hear people walking about and voices speaking in the distant. The pain in her head was increasingly starting to hurt more as she became more aware. Closing her eyes and concentrating an icy white glow illuminated her body which healed the wound to her skull giving her some small relief from the pain.

"Look who decided to wake up."

Her aura dimmed as Weiss froze upon feeling her captive starting to remove the binding covering her eyes. It fell down to her neck and she blinked a few times to let her eyes adjust to the light. It wasn't much but from pitch blackness to a few fluorescent lights dangling from the ceiling of what looked like an abandoned warehouse it still managed to sting her eyes. Moving her head around to get a better view at where she was Weiss came to a horrifying realisation. They weren't just in any abandoned warehouse she was in a Schnee warehouse near the Factory where they purified the mined Dust from the quarry a mile away. Men dressed in black wearing red glasses pushed trolleys loaded with cases of Dust and placed them in crates stacked up against the rusted walls. Myrtenaster still rested at her hip but it was impossible for her to reach.

Weiss looked up at the man who had taken off her blindfold.

"You're Roman Torchwick," she said, glaring.

The fiery ginger head smirked as he lit up a cigar with his cane pressed under his arm.

"So you know who I am. Can't say I'm surprised I have been on the news recently. Those damn cops don't want to let me go free," he said.

"Not surprising considering you're a Dust thief," Weiss snapped. "And a kidnapper, may I add!"

"Well it wasn't me that did the kidnapping, that was two of my men. You should count yourself lucky princess. I decided at last moment to hold you for ransom even though my associate made it quite clear to kill you."

For a moment Weiss forgot how to breathe.

"Who?" She asked, the panic in her voice echoing the fear in her heart.

Roman crouched down in front of her, popped the cigar into his mouth, and raised the blindfold from around her neck to gag her mouth.

"I think you know."

He walked away howling with laughter listening to her muffed screams for further questions. Weiss rocked the chair trying to break free but it was bound to a breaking support beam in the centre of the room. She had to get out of here. Her own life was at stake and while that brought panic to the pit of her stomach what frightened her more was the realisation that it wasn't just her life which was at risk.

Weiss wasn't going cause anyone's death.

She wasn't going to let that happen again.

* * *

**More secrets Weiss?**

**I hope you readers enjoyed the chapter and don't forget to leave a review.**

**Reeves3.**

**P.S: Couldn't resist Bowl Appétit. GOD DAMMIT BARB!**


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